10 of the world's best dinosaur museums

Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology (Alberta, Canada) – The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology's name pays homage to Joseph Tyyrell, who discovered the Albertosaurus in 1884.

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Field Museum (Chicago) – The museum's main attraction is Sue, the largest Tyrannosaurus in the world.

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Iziko Museum (Cape Town, South Africa) – The prehistoric section at the Iziko Museum focuses on some of the lesser known dinosaurs that inhabited the African continent.

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Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Science (Brussels) – With the largest dinosaur hall in the world, this museum has an impressive collection of fossilized skeletons and casts.

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Fernbank Museum of Natural History (Atlanta) – The Argentinosaurus is the largest dinosaur ever classified. The 100-ton beast's skeleton is on display at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History.

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National Dinosaur Museum (Canberra, Australia) – Which came first, the dinosaur or the egg? The National Dinosaur Museum in Canberra features a garden with dinosaur sculptures and animatronics.

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Museum für Naturkunde (Berlin) – The Museum für Naturkunde is home to the world's tallest mounted dinosaur skeleton. The Brachiosaurus stands at 41 feet, 5 inches and is a Guinness World Record holder.

While real-life scientists have yet to resurrect the terrible lizards from mosquito DNA, they have recently discovered remnants of what look like red blood cells and soft tissue in the fossils of a 75-million-year-old dinosaur.

But they say it'll be a long time before a "Jurassic Park"-style theme park is feasible. (As if anyone who's seen any of the films would want to visit one anyway.)

Fortunately there are already plenty of museums worldwide that (safely) bring humans face to face with dinosaurs -- and not always just their skeletons.

1. Museum für Naturkunde (Berlin)

Berlin's natural history museum houses a serious collection of bones excavated largely from Tanzania in the 20th century, featuring all sorts of species.

Most impressive is the 41-foot, 5-inch Brachiosaurus, the tallest dinosaur in the world on display. It's a Guinness World Record holder and dominates the first gallery.

The museum also has the most important Archaeopteryx fossil in the world, demonstrating the birdlike link between dinosaurs and birds.

4. National Dinosaur Museum (Canberra, Australia)

This is the place to explore prehistory in Australia.

The place has the country's largest collection of dinosaur fossils.

Alongside fossils, bones and impressive footprints from all sorts of animals and beasts, the museum features a garden with imposing dinosaur sculptures and animatronics inside that add a bit of Spielberg magic to displays.

Fossil digs, children's learning events and weekend tours help attract 200,000 people a year, making it one of the area's biggest tourist attractions.

6. Wyoming Dinosaur Center (Wyoming)

This museum's standout attraction is a 106-foot Supersaurus.

The museum has acquired the most complete archaeopteryx in the world (after the one in Berlin) and boasts skeletons of Triceratops, Stegosaurus and Velociraptor, among others in all sorts of dynamic poses.

The real draw is getting to talk with real paleontologists, like those who inspired Alan Grant's character in "Jurassic Park."

All ages are invited to "dig for a day" by signing up to participate in excursions to one of the world's richest bone fields, just down the street.

9. Jurassic Land (Istanbul)

Opened in 2011, Jurassic Land is as close as you'll get to fleeing dinosaurs alongside Sam Neil and Laura Dern.

One part education, another part entertainment, the 10,000-square-meter experience mixes skeletons and fossils with writhing animatronic dinosaurs in an Ingen-esque setting, including a "veterinarian" taking care of an injured Stegosaurus and egg incubators.

While Spielberg may not have given his blessing, the center does offer a creative and engaging educational experience for children, though connoisseurs may question the seemingly anachronistic placing of a Spinosaurus next to a Triceratops.

10. Fernbank Museum of Natural History (Atlanta)

The true giants of the prehistoric world may have been unearthed in Patagonia, but you have to go to Atlanta to see them on display.

The Giants of the Mesozoic exhibit features the carnivorous Gigantosaurus, which rivaled the T. Rex in size, as well as the Argentinosaurus, the 100-ton sauropod that scientists say is the largest dinosaur ever classified.

A flock of more than 20 pterosaurs glides overhead. The museum also offers a glimpse into prehistoric Georgia, with murals and life-sized dinosaur models.